From couch surfing to imitation passports

StandWithUs fellows from Israel's major universities presented the following six projects:

Haifa University and Technion fellows unveiled a web-based project entitled Jewgether, which will allow young Jews from all over the world to meet online, and stay at each other's houses instead of going to a hotel. The model is based on the CouchSurfing Project - the world's largest free, Internet-based, international hospitality exchange network - and will become operational in the coming weeks.

The IDC fellowship team set up a program to grant diplomatic skills, advocacy methods and useful knowledge on Israel's image abroad to private businessmen and students traveling abroad. The Always-an-Ambassador program aims to train 600 groups of non-official representatives, to augment formal Israel-advocacy.

The members of the Hebrew University contingent took up the daunting task of explaining Israel's position to NGO workers from Europe and elsewhere, who came here to help Palestinians. The group of 22 participants met with more than 200 idealists from all over the world who are notorious for having a one-sided approach. "We also wanted to hear and internalize what they had to say, even if some of it was infuriating," project director Lotem Goffer told Anglo File.

At Ben Gurion University, the fellows gave cameras to children from underprivileged backgrounds and minorities in the Negev to take pictures of what Israel means to them. The result was an exhibition of more than 200 pictures, which will be presented around the country in the coming months and may eventually be exhibited abroad.

Bar-Ilan fellows came up with a way of re-branding Israel from the get-go, by giving foreigners who land at Ben Gurion Airport an information pamphlet designed to resemble a passport. The Passport to Israel program, which receives funding from the Foreign Ministry, informs readers about the nicer aspects of life in Israel, such as the booming economy, the night life and the natural treasures. The promoters are working with the Israel Police to have officers at passport control hand out the "passports."

As reported by Anglo File, the Tel Aviv contingent will host an ambitious, 5-day educational conference simulating an international peace summit. The event, starting Sunday, will allow students from across the globe role play delegates representing Israel, her neighbors and the superpowers. Shirah Bergman, who presented the project, told Anglo File that the team is currently putting last minute-efforts into facilitating the attendance of students from the West Bank.